Voices From The Readers

It seems to me that all the hoopla about advertising money may be missing the point. I recently talked to a couple from Pittsburgh who had just visited downtown Baltimore. They got the impression that it is no longer safe to walk around Harborplace now even in the daytime. They said they saw gangs strolling around and looking for trouble.

I think Ocean City had better act proactively to address this problem. Once people get the idea it’s not safe here, you can spend all the money you want on advertising and you’ll just be wasting it.

This couple will be spreading the word at home regarding Baltimore and it will spread more from there.

Tom Boenzli

West Ocean City

Show Support For Women

Editor:

I’m tired of insurance companies treating being a woman like a pre-existing condition. For too long, women have been paying more and getting less care.

My amendment to the Senate health care bill guarantees access to the preventative tests that save money and save women’s lives. It would require coverage for cervical cancer screenings, heart disease tests, and yes, mammograms, all at no added cost

The Senate passed my amendment last week with 61 votes. It’s a huge victory that sets the stage for the coming weeks.

But with final passage, conference, and House votes ahead, the fight’s not over yet. I’ve been fighting for women’s rights all my life, and I’m not about to quit now.

Go to my new website – Cover Women Now – to help show my colleagues that the American people demand coverage for these critical life-saving tests in any health care reform package.

I’ve been in the Senate long enough to know we have to keep the pedal to the metal all the way to the finish. All the horse-trading, the private deals, and the insurance company lobbying mean that nothing is final in this bill yet.

That’s why I’m organizing activists online to stand up for women’s health and gender equity. Get involved – right this minute – and together we deliver one clear message to Congress: Cover women now.

Barbara Mikulski

(The writer is a U.S. Senator.)

Tree Sale A Success

Editor:

The Ocean City/Berlin Rotary Club has once again been successful in its Christmas Tree sale.

It has sold out early. This fund-raising effort needed the help of all our members, spouses and even some of their children. I would like to give special thanks to Doris and Dave Taylor, who drove to Indiana, Pa. to pick up the trees, and their children who helped, and past presidents Jeff and John Grim and Ken Bates and his wife Debbie. Thanks to Immediate Past President Stan Kahn, his wife Veronica who handled the publicity, their son Paul who helped unload the trees, past presidents Larry Michnick and Dan Harris, secretary Tom Bickerstaff and treasurer David Blair. Also, Ed Welch, and sons Jamie and Jordan and Jack Katzman.

And, of course, thanks to the community for supporting us once again. We had buyers travel all the way from Salisbury and Delaware who buy from us every year. We sold 216 trees with the proceeds going into our scholarship fund for Stephen Decatur High School students.

Margo Jones

Berlin

(The writer is the president of the Ocean City/Berlin Rotary Club.)

Concerns Over Alumni

Editor:

(The following letter was addressed to all alumni members of the Worcester Junior and Senior High Schools.)

Have you heard of Acorn on the national level? We have a similar one here on the Eastern Shore. You just don’t fill out an application.

The alumni is corrupt and should be audited. You may find a lot of findings. Most of us alumni members are not considered valuable at all, only to support a corrupt organization.

There are people who are not members of the alumni involved. I have personally supported the leader financially to aid with expenses, additionally purchased a ticket to attend the affair. This is a non-profit organization I supported from my whole heart.

I will not support this organization ever again unless a turnaround comes for the better. Be honest, truthful and clean.

Pat Hingleton

Berlin

Bear Arms Support

Editor:

I believe in America and the Constitution of the United States. Freedom and justice for all of us. I served in World Ward II to protect that right for another country.

I have no criminal record or background. The Constitution gives me the right to own handguns. Besides that, I have paid a sizeable price for them. I have earned the right by the service I gave my country during World War II at the risk of my life.

To sum it up, the Constitution gives me the right. I paid hard cash for the right. I earned the right by the service to my country. I am 86 years old, time is important to me now. I see no need the delay the delivery of the items I have paid for and earned the right to have.

I collect items of history that were used in the growth of the USA and the establishment of law and order.

William A. Fears

Berlin

Child Support Violators

Need To Be Punished

Editor:

On Aug. 31, 2009, I wrote the Worcester County Sheriff a letter outlining the fact that my grandson’s father, a dead beat dad, was ordered by the Worcester County court to pay his share of child support since 2007 now totaling more than $12,000.

Additionally, a warrant is outstanding for the dead beat dad and has been open for almost two years and his arrest has not been made as of October 2009. Also, he has not paid one cent of the court-ordered payments to date as well.

I have contacted the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office numerous times about the outstanding warrant and have been told that the address they had was not good, so we updated with a new address and that was not good and lastly the Sheriff’s Office does not have the manpower to track down dead beat fathers.

The last statement I find hard to swallow. It has been my understanding that the State of Maryland has had one of the more successful programs in capturing and collecting court-ordered payments from dead beat dads.

Just recently (August) the Harford County Sheriff ran a full page in the Baltimore Sun entitled “Wanted” by the Harford County Sheriff, Child Support Violators, which included a recent photograph, name, last known address and amount of money owed. It asked for anyone with information on the individuals to contact his office. A copy of this was sent to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office suggesting he do the same to no avail.

Why can’t the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office do the same?

When writing my original letter of Aug. 31, 2009 to the Worcester County Sheriff, I wondered how many other mothers or fathers in Worcester County or the rest of the Eastern Shore have been affected by the same neglect as my daughter and grandson both by the “dead beat dads” and the Sheriff’s Office.

Frankly, my daughter has done everything right as pertains to the law and the judge’s decisions and now it’s time for the Sheriff’s Office to follow suit.

Sheriff, if I sound critical, then I am. Not enough is being done to help all the children that are affected by dead beat dads. Maybe it’s time to organize all mothers and fathers who are affected and financially get some justice for them and their children.

For those who are interested, please let me know at Harlis_Terry@yahoo.com. Maybe we can work together to help resolve these issues.

Harlis T. Bowling

Newark

Kind Acts Recognized

Editor:

On Nov. 4, 2009, my grandson and I were involved in an auto accident at the left turn signal at Keyser Point Road and Route 50.

We would like to thank everyone who came to our aid: the parents from Ocean City Elementary School who were behind us at the traffic light; the ambulance crew, Trooper Smith from the State Police; and everyone else who assisted us.

Thanks also to the lady who so graciously allowed me to sit in her car until the paramedics came. Thanks to everyone who was so kind to my grandson and to the faculty from Ocean City Elementary who called concerning our welfare.

We were strangers to most of you who helped us, but it’s good to know that there are so many kind people in this world.

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